The present invention relates to organizing and securing cargo within a motor vehicle.
Many retail stores and grocery stores typically package purchased items in plastic shopping bags. While these types of shopping bags are convenient because they conform to the shape of the items contained in the bags, they are difficult to transport in motor vehicles. The plastic bags, when they are set down, have a tendency to collapse around the items contained in the bags, exposing the contents of the bags and permitting the items to fall out and roll around in the cargo space of the motor vehicle.
Prior art devices have attempted to facilitate the transport of items packaged in plastic shopping bags in motor vehicles. One such prior art device involves the use of elastic netting material to restrain articles during transport. Hooks designed to secure plastic shopping bags within a vehicle storage area are also known in the art. However these prior art hooks tend to cause inadvertent snagging or injury to people. Those prior art hooks designed to minimize snagging are often composed of multiple pieces that are relatively expensive to manufacture. Many prior art hooks are composed of rigid, inflexible materials. When such hooks are subjected to excessive forces generated during sudden vehicle movements such as for example, stopping, turning, acceleration or deceleration, they are often susceptible to breaking. Another prior art device, a suction hook, tends to peel off the motor vehicle surface under excessive force conditions. In addition, the attachment of many prior art hooks to motor vehicle surfaces often requires complicated procedures, such as drilling of holes or spot welding.
Thus what is needed is a device for use in the cargo area of motor vehicles for organizing and securing plastic grocery or merchandise bags to minimize the spillover of the contents. The device should be designed to minimize the potential for snagging or injury to people. The device should have a relatively low manufacturing cost to be affordable to consumers. In addition, the device should be easily installable on a motor vehicle surface. Finally the device should be designed so that excessive forces generated during sudden vehicle movements such as for example, stopping, turning, accelerating or decelerating, do not cause the device to break or to peel off the motor vehicle surface.
The present invention provides a device for use in the cargo area of motor vehicles for organizing and securing plastic grocery or merchandise bags to minimize the spillover of the contents. Safety features minimizing snagging or injury to people are also incorporated into the present invention. In addition the present invention is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and is easily installable on a motor vehicle surface. Furthermore, the present invention is designed to ensure that excessive forces generated during sudden vehicle movements such as for example stopping, turning, accelerating or decelerating, do not cause the device to break or peel off the motor vehicle surface.
The present invention provides a cargo hook for organizing and securing bags within a motor vehicle. The cargo hook includes a base adapted for attachment to a motor vehicle surface. A tab extends from the base. An inner area is formed between the tab and the motor vehicle surface. This inner area is designed to receive bag handles.
The rear surface of the cargo hook base may have a generally planar construction. An adhesive layer may be provided on the rear surface for affixing the cargo hook to a motor vehicle surface. The front surface of the cargo hook may include a recess defined by a raised perimeter. The distal end of the flexible tab may be curved inwardly. The distal end may be adapted to be secured against the front surface of the base. The cargo hook may be manufactured using a pliable material. The pliable material may consist of soft rubber, EPDM, SBR or a flexible plastic. The cargo hook may be manufactured as a single piece. The cargo hook may be manufactured using a molding process.